Loom picker manufacture



Sept. l2, 1939. H. M. BACON L00 PICKER MANUFACTURE Filed May 14, 1937 llllllll l I l ATTORNEYS l Patented Sept. 12, v1939 UNITED" STATES r PATENroFI-ics LOOM PICKER MANUFACTURE Henry Miles Bacon, `Warren, Ohio Application my 14, 1937, serial No. 142,598

I 10 Claims. (Cl. 139-159) This invention relates to improvements in loom pick'ers of laminated construction and more particularly to pickers built up of sheets of rubberized fabric stuck together in layers while in the 5 uncured state, and then molded and vulcanized to produce a tough, elastic, solid and homogeneous picker body.' An example of this type of picker is disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 2,032,734, dated March 3, 1936. Important objects of the invention are 'to provide such a picker of improved, durable construction, and to provide an improved method of making such a picker. Other objects of the invention will appear herel l5 inafter.

In the drawing: Y

Figs. l, 2 and 3 are sectional perspective views showing different stages of picker manufacture v according to the improved method; y

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional perspective views showing more advanced stages of the manufacture;

Iig, 6 is a sectional view showing a modifica.- tion of one stage of the manufacture; 2g Fig. 7 is a side vview of a bar of laminated con-l struction from -which a number of pickers arev made, the severance of the bar into individual pickers beingindicated;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view. showing the molding 3o of a pair of the pickers;

Fig. `9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fin.-

ished picker, on the line 9-9 of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 10 is abottom plan view of the finished' picker.

In the performance of the improved method a plurality of sheets I are provided. I'hese sheets) are impregnated with a rubber composition in a sticky, uncurecl state. lPreferably the sheets are of a length equal to the depth of quite a number of pickers in order that a number of pickers may bemade simultaneously. The width of the sheets is suilicient fora wrapping operation which will be described hereinafter.

The rubberized sheets Iv are superimposed and their medial portions are bent or folded around a core 2 into a loop of-approximately U-form, as shown in Fig. 1. The cross section `of said core has approximately4 thev size and shape. 0f a hole whichis to be formed inthe picker to re? ceive the picker' stick,'indicated by dot-and-dash lines at S in Fig. 9. The sheets so folded extend materially 'beyond the U-shaped loop and .their margins 3 are preferably left free, or unstuck, forA a purpose Iwhich will appear hereinafter. As 55 indicated at 4,-' one or more of the sheets may be doubled upon themselves at the bendof the U-loop for purposes which will appear hereinafter.

Upon sheet I there are placed a number of superimposed fabric sheets 5 rubberized like the 5 sheets I. The sheets 5 are of the same length as the sheets I but narrowerthan the latter and they are placed across the open side `oi, the` U-shapcd loop of the sheets I, the margins 3 of the sheets I being left free, as indicated in l0 Fig. 2. Next, the sheets I and 5 are securely" united by stitching 6 which extends the length of the sheets on parallel lines along opposite sides of the top of the U-shaped loop. Preferably very strong thread or even wire is employed in the stitching. After the stitching has been performed there are placed upon the -sheets superimposed narrow fabric strips 'I rubberized like the sheets I and 5. They are placed in centered relation to the U-loop and the lines of stitching 6 and they extend thelength of the sheets I, and 5. These strips are for the purpose of forming a ller.

. block foreach picker and located between the picker stick hole and theshuttle impact face of the picker.

Having so associated the sheets I and 5 and the 'filler strips l, the sheets 5 are next folded -entirely around the strips in the same direction as the folding of the sheets I in forming the U-loop,

and the opposite marginsA of the sheets 5 are 0 1 alternately, or interleaved as shown. Around the entire structure thus formed by the sheets I and Y 5 and the strips I there is folded an outer wrapping comprisinga number of superimposed fabric sheets 8 rubberized like the sheets I and 5. These outer sheets are of the same length as the sheets `I but wide enough to enable their margins Q to overlap and form the forward shuttle impact .wall 45 structure of the picker. The margins! are pref` erably at first' left vfree or unstuck so that, like the margins 3, they may be interleaved, as shown in Fig. 5. The outer wrapping covers and protects Y the lines of stitching Ii. One or more of the' sheets 8 also may be doubled upon themselves, as at III. A modificationof the outer wrapping is shown in Fig. 6. Here the wrapping is formed of a single wide' sheet 8 of fabric rubberized like the other sheets. Said wide Sheet is..wound a. number of times around the structure formed by the sheets I andi and the strips 1.

Whether the structure is like that of Fig. 5 or of Fig. 6 the assembled sheets and strips are stuck together by the sticky,- uncured rubber and the structure forms a tubular bar, as shown in Fig. 7. The core 2 is removed from this bar and the bar is then severed on transverselines II spaced apartI according to the desired approximate depth of a picker. Thereby a number of picker bodies are obtained. These are molded and vulcanized to the desired picker form and to the desired degree of hardness.

The picker bodies may be conveniently molded in pairs, as shown in Fig. 8. Provision is also made for molding the front portion of the picker in a manner to give is increased durability. For this purpose there is provided a tapered mold core I3 for insertion into the stick hole of the picker body.- As shownin Fig. 8, there are two of these cores borne by a bar or block I4 and protruding from opposite sides thereof. The cores and block may be made of a single piece of metal. The cores taper away from the block so that they may readily enter the stick holes of the picker bodies. After applying the picker bodies to the cores the assembled unit of cores, block and picker bodies is fitted into a mold casing I5, for molding and vulcanizing the bodies under pressure and heat. 'I'he cores, the block I4 and the mold casing are correlated for molding the forward face of the picker and the forward wall of the stick hole along divergent lines.

The core taper is so disposed as to mold the forward portion of the picker under pressure the lower -portion and adds to the durability of (the picker, as will be explained hereinafter. By

varying the degree of taper of themold core saidA increased hardness may be varied to suit requirements. As shown in Fig. 9, the forward face of the picker P has a substantially conical cavity I6 to receive the nose of the shuttle. 'I'his cavity may bemolded in said face by projections tII on the filler structure. 'I'he filler block formed by the strips 'I and the wrapping sheets 5 for said block are securely held in a continuous -loop formed by the wrapping sheets I and I. These sheets I and 8 form a strong, multi-.ply wrapping covering the filler structure at frontA and .sides and alsocombining with the, inner side of said structure to denne the picker Astick hole.

In many cases, owing to imperfect alinement in the loom,` a picker will rub against a shuttle box and wear away a; forward corner and a side of the picker body until `the outer wrappings are worn through and the iiller structure is released. My

' imprved picker structure is designed' to withstand much more o i' such wearand retain the ,-illler in place. The entire thickness of the stout side walls of the picker stick hole extends around the nner and protects it, and the front wall structure is further reinforced by the overlapped margins of the wrapping sheets I and 8.

The tapered molding of the forward portion of the picker also contributes much to durability. In the majority of cases present pickers require the shuttle to strike below the center of the picker face. Consequently there is less material-below the point of impact than above it and the picker wears out more rapidly below said point. My provision for greater density of the lower portion of the face block greatly increases the wear resistance of said portion and thereby lengthens the life of the picker. The portion 'of theblock at the under side of hole I6 has much more wear resistance than the portion above the hole. Consequently the wear tends to travel and the hole, as it is borne deeper and deeper, tends4 L' enables the back of the picker to be molded to greater density in order to better resist said wear. AThe fold-backs also facilitate proper molding of the picker. They hold up the mold core u nit and prevent it from bottoming on the lower section of the mold casing with possible consequent forcing of the cores out of proper relation to the picker bodies. The cores are held balanced, with regard to pressure, between the topand bottom cushions and the molding pressure is substantially equalized along the lines of stitching 6.

What I claim is:

l. 'I'he method of making a loom picker, comprising superposing a number of sheets of rubberized fabric, bending a medial portion of said superposed. sheets to form` an approximately U-shaped loop as' a step informing the picker stick hole, placing a plurality of rubberized fab- 4:ric sheets in superposed relation upon said first sheets and in a position across the open side of said loop, placing upon the portion of said superposed' second sheets which extends across the open side of the loop superposed layers of rubberized fabric toA form a filler block. folding said second sheets around said superposed nller block layers, folding the portions of said nrst sheets which extend from' said loop forward around theso folded second sheets and disposing the end margins of said portions to form the forward, shuttle impact portion of the picker, and reducing the structure sov formed to picker form by a molding and vulcanizing operation.

2. 'I'he method of making a loom picker according to claim 1, characterized in that the molding operation is performed to compress the lower frontportion ofthe picker to a greater hardness than the upper front portion, for increasing the durability of the picker.

3. The method of making a loom picker, comprising superposing a number of sheets of rubberized fabric, bending a medial portion of said superposed sheets to form an approximately U- shaped loop as a step in forming the picker stick hole, placing a Aplurality of rubberized fabric sheets in superposed relation upon said first sheets and in a position across the open-side of said.1oop.' stitching said second'sheets toA said nrst sheets along opposite sides, of the loop opening, *I6

arrasar placing upon the portion of said second sheets which extends across the open side of the loop superposed layers of rubberized, fabric to form a filler block, folding said second sheets around said superposed filler block layers, folding the portions of said rst sheets which extend from said loop around the so folded second sheets and v interleaving the outer ends of said portions at the front of the picker, and molding and vulcanizing the structure so formed.

4. The method 'of making a loom picker,v vcomprising providing a number of superposed sheets of rubberized fabric, bending a medial portion of said superposed sheets to form an approximately U-shaped loop as a step in forming the picker stick hole, placinga sheet of rubberized fabric upon said first sheets and in a position across the openside of said loop, placing upon the portion of said second sheet which extends across the open side of the loop material to form a filler block, folding said second sheet around said filler block material, folding the portions of said first sheets which extend from said loop around the so folded second sheet and overlapping the outer -fends of said portions at the front of the picker, and molding and vulcanizing the structure so formed.

5. The method of making a loom picker, comprising providing a number of superposed layers of fabric, with a bondingmaterial to unite them, bending a medial portion of said superposed layers to form an approximately U-shaped loop as a step in forming the picker stick hole, placing a plurality of fabric layers in superposed relation, and with a bonding material to unite them, upon said ilrst layers and in a position` across the open side of said loop, stitching together said first and second layers along opposite sides of the loop opening, placing material for forming a filler block upon the portion of said superposed second layers which extends across the open side of the loop, folding said second layers around said filler block material, folding the portions of said rst layers which extend beyond said loop around the sofolded second layers, and molding the structure so formed to a picker shape.

6. The method of making a loom picker, comprising superposing a number of layers of fabric, with a bonding material to unite them, bending a medial portion ofsaid superposed layers to form an approximately U-shaped loop as a step in forming the picker stick hole, placing a plurality of fabric layers in superposed relation, and with a bonding material to unite them, upon said first layers and in a -position across the open side of said loop, stitching together said first and second layers along opposite sides of the loop opening, placing material for forming a filler block upon 4the portion of said superposed second layers which extends across the op'en side of the loop, folding said second layers around said filler block material, folding the portions of said rst layers which extend beyond said loop around the so folded second layers, surrounding said so folded first layers with a fabric wrapping thereby covering saidstitching, and molding the structure so formed to a picker shape.

7. The method of making a loom picker, comprising superposing a number of layers of fabric, with a bonding material to unite them, bending a medial portion of said superposed layers to forman approximately U-shaped loop as a step in forming the picker stick hole, placing a plurality of fabric layers in superposed relation, and with a bonding material to unite them, upon said first layers and in a positionacross the open side of said loop, placing material for forming a filler block upon the portion of said superposed second layers which extends across the open side of the loop, folding said second layers around said filler block material, folding the ortions of said first layers which extend beyon said loop around the so folded second layers, and molding the structure so formed to picker shape.

8. The method of making a loom picker, comprising providing anumber of superposed layers of fabric, with a bonding material to unite them, bending a medial portion of said. superposed layers to form an approximately U-shaped loop as a step in forming the picker stick hole, placing a pluralityjof fabric layers in superposed relation, and with a bonding material to unite them, upon said rst layers and in a position acrossl the open side of said loop, placing material for forming a ller block upon the portion of said superposed second layers which extends across the open side of the loop; folding said second layers around said filler block material, and folding the portions of said irstlayers which extend beyond said loop around the so folded second layers.

9. The method of making a loom picker, comprising arranging plies of rubberized fabric in superposed relation to forii'v a non-tapered picker-stick receiving loop and the front portion of the picker which receives the impact of the shuttle, ins rting a ,tapered core in said nontapered loo of the` picker and molding said picker to shape the picker-stick hole and form the forward face of the picker, the forward wall portion of the picker being molded along divergent lines so as to compress the shuttle impact face of the picker to greater hardness and less thickness from the front to -rear below the point of .shuttle impact than above that point, and vulcanizing said compressed molded product to produce a picker wherein the lower front portion is of greater density and hardness than the upper front portion.

10. The method of making a loom picker, comprising arranging plies of rubberized fabric in superposed relation to form a non-tapered picker-stick receiving loop and a front part which engages the shuttle, inserting a tapered core in said non-tapered loop of the picker, placing a conical projection in said front part of the picker to form a cavity to receive the shuttle nose, and molding said picker to shape the picker,

said front part of the picker being held between converging mold surfacesto compress said paril to a greater density and hardness below said cavity than above -the cavity, and vulcanizing said compressed molded product. i

HENRY MILES BACON. 

